


Art/Words: The Woodland Sprite

by LFB72



Series: LFB72's Drabble Series [17]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Art, Forests, Getting Lost, M/M, Mud, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Puzzle wood, Traditional Media, Watercolours, enchanted forest, walks in the wood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 11:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19272562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFB72/pseuds/LFB72
Summary: Arthur gets lost in the woods and finds something enticing  - art to illustrate what Arthur finds.





	Art/Words: The Woodland Sprite

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tari_Sue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tari_Sue/gifts), [Clea2011](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clea2011/gifts), [Camelittle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Camelittle/gifts), [Merlocked18](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merlocked18/gifts).



> This was inspired by a recent trip with my fandom buddies to Puzzle wood and clear water caves where the TV programme, Merlin (and all sorts of other film / TV) was filmed. We all had a great time and agreed the visit should inspire some art / stories so this is my contribution.  
> Many thanks to Slanted knitting who kindly did the beta so this could be a surprise gift for my wonderful friends.

The Woodland Sprite 

 

Father had been wrong, there was no monster prowling the forbidden forest, no ferocious beast taking the innocent. All those terrible tales of people going missing one by one were merely stories designed to scare the weak. Arthur was strong and those who had been lost were just that, lost.

 

Arthur refused to succumb to the same fate; he was not lost.  

 

Despite his formidable navigation skills, Arthur had wandered aimlessly around in circles. To his growing ire and frustration, he’d repeatedly found the same piece of fabric (torn hours ago from his clothes) but no exit from his woodland prison. There _had_ to be a way out and he would find it. The solution to the puzzle was merely alluding him temporarily.

 

Each climb was fruitless, every cave a dead-end, he could not even discern nature’s signs; moss grew everywhere not just on the north side of the trees and streams peated out into nothing but mud. This mysterious place did not follow the rules.

 

Mud. His favourite boots were caked in orange slime, the backs of his legs splattered and his feet were wet and cold. Miraculously he had remained upright, keeping his footing where a lesser-man would have fallen flat on their face, but Arthur Pendragon did have exceptal balance and grace - even if he said so himself.

 

“Wake up!”

 

Arthur jumped as something grasped his arm, shaking him from his slumber.

 

Slender, bone-white fingers had entwined with his and pulled him up. Arthur did not remember falling to the ground, just marvelled at how effortlessly he had been righted.

 

A lithe young man stood before him. He wore a crown and little else. Leaves, twined twigs, and moss circled his head; he blended perfectly with his surroundings, which must be why Arthur had not noticed him before. He noticed now; it was impossible not to, what with his long nimble limbs, black hair and penetrating stare.

 

The sprite-like creature curled his finger and becked Arthur.

 

“Follow,” it said.

 

Arthur did, the draw was too great to resist. This was not sensible; he could end up dead or in the creature’s bed, but it did not seem to matter, destiny or doom, for better or for worse, he would go. He had to.

 

“What’s your name?” He managed.

 

The man smiled. “Merlin.”

 

“Where are we going, Merlin?”

 

“Where you belong, home.”

The End

[ ](https://imgur.com/MGMz9HP)

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like what you read/ saw. I wanted the end to be a little ambiguous so the reader could decide Arthur's ultimate fate. Once again trying my hand at water colours (it has not been betaed) this is a photo rather than a scan because I'm impatient and did not want to wait for it to dry over night whilst being squashed by books.


End file.
